T20 cricket has gained millions of fans in just a few years thanks to the entertainment and innovations seen in this format. Many players have considered extending their careers by retiring from Tests and focusing on the shorter formats. The eight IPL teams are an integral part of the T20 world.
Perhaps, T20 cricket might not have been son popular without the Indian Premier League. Over the years, the IPL teams have unearthed many domestic and international talents. The talent scouts of the teams are always on duty. However, a few players have never got an opportunity to showcase their talent in the IPL.
Here is a list of five T20 star players who have done brilliantly in this format but somehow they have never received a bid at the IPL Auctions.
1. Samit Patel
English all-rounder Samit Patel made his T20 debut back in 2003. He has 18 years of T20 experience where he has participated in almost every T20 league except the IPL.
The all-rounder is a left-arm spin bowler who bats right-handed. In his long career, Samit has played 305 T20 matches, scoring 5,239 runs at an average of 25.93. The Englishman has taken 247 wickets, with his best figures being 4/5. Unfortunately, the 36-year-old has not made it to the IPL yet.
2. Jeetan Patel picked 200+ T20 wickets but never played for IPL teams
New Zealand’s off-spin bowler Jeetan Patel played T20 cricket for 15 years. He made his T20 debut in 2005 and played till 2020. In this period, the Kiwi player scalped 240 wickets in 241 T20 games.
The right-arm off-break bowler could have done well on the Indian pitches. But the IPL teams never showed interest in his services. For the record, Patel picked up four four-wicket hauls in the game’s shortest format.
3. Adil Rashid
English leg-spinner Adil Rashid is another player from England who has been a part of almost every T20 league on the planet except the IPL. Many fans expected Rashid to get a bid in IPL Auction 2020 and 2021.
However, the teams did not sign him. Speaking of his stats in T20 cricket, Rashid has taken 205 wickets in 184 T20s at a strike rate of 18.40. He has also played 57 T20I matches, taking 55 wickets. It would be interesting to see if Rashid ever gets an IPL contract.
4. James Vince has scored over 6,000 T20 runs but never played for IPL teams
Sussex-born top-order batsman James Vince was another Englishman whom the fans expected to get a contract at IPL Auction 2021. But Vince did not get one.
The right-handed batter was in red-hot form during the preceding Big Bash League. He has an aggregate of 6,544 in T20s, but it seems James will have to wait a little longer before breaking into the world’s grandest T20 tournament.
5. Paul Stirling
Perhaps one of the greatest players to have represented the Ireland cricket team – Paul Stirling has never played in the IPL. Stirling is a veteran of 233 T20 matches, where he has scored 5,806 runs at a strike rate of 142.54.
Stirling is one of the few Irishmen to have played in various T20 leagues across the planet. However, the IPL contract has always been away from him.
